Horton Halfpott

Horton Halfpott, or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset
by Tom Angleberger
This book begins, "There are so many exciting things in this book."  I disagree.  It should have said that there are so many hysterical things in this book.  You may recognize Angleberger's Origami Yoda books and his quirky sense of humor.  This book stands on its own, and it would be difficult to find others like it.  From the title to the last page it is a farcical game of words.  You will find an endless supply of characters to laugh at/with.  My favorites include the shipless pirates and the pompous, professional, private investigator, Portnoy St. Pomfrey.  Root for the hapless Horton as he struggles to unravel the mysteries of M'Lady's corset, Napoleon's head, and the missing Lump.  The icing on this cake - the book's cover glows in the dark. 

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Koren Power 

The Knight's Tale series

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great
The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short
The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True
by Gerald Morris
Oh, to be a knight in the days of King Arthur's Court! You could be as great as Sir Lancelot  - with armor so shiny you could see your reflection! You could be as wise as Sir Givret, even if you're short! You could be undefeated like Sir Gawain and always keep your word! Of course, when you're the greatest knight in the realm, like Lancelot, or undefeated, like Sir Gawain, other knights are always challenging you everywhere you go, which can be a tad inconvenient. If you're wise like Sir Givret, you might find yourself always helping less wise friends out of trouble, which can be a tricky thing. And what if always keeping your word means you must fight a friend to defend the honor of your king? Being a knight can be great, but it's not always easy! No matter if being a knight is good or bad, with Gerald Morris telling the tales, you can bet they will be funny. Try this series perfect for those just discovering chapter books for the first time and see if you can keep the laughter in! 

Recommended for grades 2-4
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker 

Troublemaker

by Andrew Clements
Sixth-grader Clay Hensley is a school troublemaker - and he loves it! Although his teachers realize he is only full of mischief and does not mean to hurt anyone, his pranks have become so numerous at Truman Elementary School that his school record is as thick as a phonebook. Many of his infractions, such as running in the halls, disappearing from class, or tossing french fries in the cafeteria are fairly harmless stuff. But one day he decides to do something riskier, by getting "creative" in art class when his teacher instructs the class to draw whatever they want. Clay, being a skillful artist, creates a remarkable likeness to his principal, Mr. Kellings - only he draws him as a DONKEY. Clay loves basking in the laughter of his classmates, and will willingly take whatever punishment Mr. Kellings gives him. He cannot wait to share his latest escapade with his older brother Mitchell, who just arrived home after spending a month in jail. To his surprise, Mitchell does not laugh when he recounts the prank. In fact, Clay is shocked to find Mitchell angry and hostile toward him, while threatening to hurt him physically if he does not change his troublemaking behavior immediately. Clay has always looked up to Mitchell and loves to imitate his rabble rousing ways, but now his older brother makes it clear that jail is no picnic, and that he never wants to spend another day there again. He is afraid that Clay has it in him to follow in his footsteps... all the way to being locked up himself one day. Mitchell is determined to give his brother a personality makeover before it's too late. Clay resentfully begins to change his appearance and behavior. But his classmates and his best friend, Hank, are not sure they like the "new" Clay any longer. They now treat him like an outsider. Then comes Halloween night and the real trouble begins. Mr. Kellling's home is seriously vandalized, and the police show up at Clay's house. He is the prime suspect. But he's innocent. Or his he? Clements is a master at portraying school drama through the eyes of the student. The reader will be pulling for Clay as he tries to extricate himself out of this sticky situation, while hopefully developing a personality that can make him smile again. 

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter 

Daisy Dawson at the Beach

by Steve Voake
Daisy Dawson, the girl who can talk to animals, is off on another adventure! This time she is heading to the beach for vacation. At the beach she does the cha-cha-cha dance with some crabs and teaches two rabbits how to surf. She also saves a dolphin and in return gets a wonderful ride. Perfect for early readers, pick up this sweet story for a quick summertime treat.

Recommended for grades 2-3
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

The Trouble with Chickens

by Doreen Cronin
Click, Clack, Moo is now a chapter book? No, but Doreen Cronin has used her wit to come up with some new and memorable characters. This is the first title in a projected series for independent readers moving from picture books/early readers to chapters. J.J. Tully is a recently retired search-and-rescue dog moved to his handler's farm. He is enjoying a bit of the quiet life when a mystery in the form of a funny family of chickens puts Tully back into action. Can Tully outwit Vince the Funnel, the handler's cone-wearing house dog? Being Cronin's first chapter book for young readers, there are a couple of flaws. She changes the narrators a couple of times in the middle of the book, but it is not made clear who is speaking at first. Also, grown-ups may want to be on hand to help with unfamiliar words, such as "exasperated." Overall, this book is a fun read for newly independent readers.

Recommended for grades 2-4
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Allegra Biscotti Collection

by Olivia Bennett
Emma is always sketching and dreaming about fashion. She aims to be a fashion designer, but doesn't want to be in the spotlight. A famous fashion editor, Paige Young, stumbles upon some of her dress creations. She loves them and wants to know who designed them. Afraid of being laughed at, Emma quickly creates an alter ego, Allegra Biscotti. Allegra soon becomes the hottest new fashion designer around. Emma gets in over her head as she struggles to make a deadline for new items, do her schoolwork and keep everything secret from her parents. Emma is also dealing with changing friendships and a crush on a boy. This is a light fun read that any middle school girl will enjoy. Stay tuned for more books about Emma, as this is the first in a series.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl?

by Louis Sachar
This is from the ever-popular Marvin Redpost series.  It has a hilarious middle-grade child point of view.

After a girl classmate of his tells Marvin, "If you kiss yourself on the elbow, you'll turn into a girl."  The main character is not sure what he believes, but during a fitful night of sleep, Marvin "accidentally" kisses himself on the elbow.

Much comedy ensues as Marvin questions what it is like to be a girl.  Maybe it is more fun to wear pigtails like his sister Linzy.  What is really wrong with playing hopscotch at recess, or dotting his i's with little hearts in class?

Check out Marvin as he will think and act like a girl forever, even after figuring out the secret difference between girls and boys.

Recommended for grades 1-3
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Fablehaven

by Brandon Mull
Siblings Kendra and Seth aren't happy about staying with a grandfather they barely know while their parents are on a cruise.  But when they arrive at his house they are told that they can do whatever they want while they stay.  As long as they stay out of the woods.

If only rules weren't so easy to break.  Once their grandpa figures out that both Kendra and Seth have broken the rule, he confesses what neither one of them would ever have guessed; the woods are a sanctuary for nearly extinct magical creatures and he is the caretaker.  The sanctuary is called Fablehaven and it houses hundreds of creatures, from trolls and witches to imps and fairies.  Kendra and Seth are so excited to know more about Fablehaven that they don't heed Grandpa's advice about the dangers of the creatures in the forest, accidentally unleashing some powerful forces of evil.  When Grandpa is kidnapped by these evil forces, it is up to Kendra and Seth to save Fablehaven and prevent the escape of all the magical creatures.  This is a funny, adventure-filled fantasy story and the first in a series.

The True Story of Christmas

by Anne Fine
Every year it's the same at the Mountfield house.  At Christmas, the extended family - all sixteen of them! - comes over.  Mum cooks for everyone and Titania does a million Fairy Dances in an effort to be the center of attention.  Grandpa breaks something and Great Aunt Ida does something crazy.  Great-Grandma spreads sarcasm, and a dark and tweisted sense of humor.  Twin cousins Sylvia and Sylvester wreak havoc.  And Ralph Mountfield just tries to stay out of the way and out of trouble!  No luck this year!  When Ralph suggests a family trivia game, everyone starts to share their real feelings and any hopes of a silent night are over!

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray

by Nick Bruel
The gloves are off and the claws are out when Uncle Murray comes to pet sit for a week. Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy first came on the scene in a couple of hilarious picture books where the kitty is not too happy with this new puppy who constantly wants to play. This is the third chapter book and I think the funniest one yet. We have seen Uncle Murray in previous Bad Kitty books with his "Fun Facts" about cats. Now let's see just how much he really knows about cats. Who will survive this visit?

Recommended for Preschool-Grade 4
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Popularity Papers

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
by Amy Ignatow
Fifth graders Lydia and Julie keep a notebook filled with their observations of the "popular" group, which they desperately want to join. It also contains their illustrated plans for accomplishing their goal, along with the results of their actions. What follows is a funny first person view of a truly typical fifth grade year. There are embarrassing parents, annoying siblings, bad hair, talent shows, boy crushes, new friends, cute teachers, fights, field trips, slumber parties, and more. While incredibly funny, this book is also pretty realistic. It reminds me of the notebooks my best friends and I passed back and forth when we were the same age. If you liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid this book is for you.

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Frindle

by Andrew Clements
Nick is not a good kid or a bad kid or a really smart kid; Nick is an idea kid. He's also the best class interrupter in the whole school - until he gets to Mrs. Granger's 5th-grade language arts class. A simple question about the dictionaries that Mrs. Granger loves - meant to distract her from giving the night's homework - leads to an oral report by Nick on the history of the dictionary and how words are created. What at first seems like Nick's defeat soon leads to his best idea ever: He will create a word. Which is how Nick and his friends start calling their pens "frindles." Mrs. Granger refuses to accept the new word for pen, which has been quickly adopted by the entire 5th-grade class, fighting against the 5th graders every step of the way. Once the whole school gets involved though, Nick begins to realize that while he started the "frindle" movement, it's now far beyond his control. Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply thought provoking, you won’t be able to put it down until you’ve read the last, very surprising, page.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Niagara Falls, or Does It?

by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Henry Zipzer, also known as "Hank," gets a troubled start to fourth grade when he is late on his first day of school. He is therefore called down to the principal's office. Hank sure has a special way of seeing the world. When his much-feared teacher Ms. Adolf assigns a five-paragraph essay, "What I did over summer vacation," Hank's friends Frankie, Ashley, and Robert help him out. Instead of putting pencil to paper, they construct and present a model of Niagara Falls. Things, of course, do not go quite as planned, and it should have been called, "Disaster Falls." After serving detention with the extremely understanding music teacher Mr. Rock, he helps his friends in the Magik 3 magic show. If you like this title, grab more in the series.

Book 1 of the Hank Zipzer: the Mostly True Confessions of the World's Best Underachiever series

Recommended for grades 2-5
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Regarding the Fountain

By Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise
The water fountain at Dry Creek Middle School (formerly Spring Creek Middle School) is leaking and Principal Walter Russ is convinced that it needs to be replaced. So Secretary Goldie Fisch writes to Ms. Flo Waters of Flowing Waters Fountains, Etc. requesting a catalog. Instead of a catalog, Goldie receives a letter from Ms. Waters (Flo hates phones!) requesting permission to visit the school so that she can design a one-of-a-kind fountain just for them. First though she needs to know what the students want and that's where Mr. Sam N.'s class comes into the picture. Soon the letters (and the puns) are flying fast and furious and it becomes clear that intrigue is afoot. What happened to make the spring that used to run through Dry Creek dry up? Isn't it a strange coincidence that it happened the same year the Middle School was built? What is going on with the mysterious faxes between School Board President Sally Mander and local water company owner D. Eel? Will the school ever get their new fountain? Written in a style different from anything you've read before, Regarding the Fountain is a compilation of letters, faxes, message slips, newspaper articles, and one recorded conversation. You'll have so much fun getting to know the residents of Dry Creek and Flo Waters, that you'll want to read the rest of the series, too! Follow the adventures of Mr. Sam N’s class in Regarding the Sink, Regarding the Trees, Regarding the Bathrooms, and Regarding the Bees.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Bunnicula

by Deborah and James Howe

Our story opens on a dark and stormy night as the Monroes (names changed to protect the innocent) return from a showing of Dracula with a small bundle that is revealed to be a bunny. Soon Chester the cat is convinced that the newly named Bunnicula isn't just any bunny - but something far more sinister. The black markings that look like a cape? The vegetables that turn white with no explanation? The teeny tiny fangs where a rabbit's buck teeth should be? Could Bunnicula actually be a vampire rabbit? It's up to Harold, the canine writer and narrator of our story, to determine what's truth and what's the result of Chester's possibly overactive imagination. Only two questions remain: Will Harold find the answers in time and will readers ever be able to stop laughing?

For more fun with the Monroe family, try Howliday Inn (Harold and Chester find mystery and mayhem when they’re sent to Chauteau Bow-Wow due to the Monroes' vacation), The Celery Stalks at Midnight (Zombie vegetables anyone?) or any of the Tales from the House of Bunnicula series.

 

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

by Jack Gantos
Both hysterically funny and heartbreaking all at once, Joey Pigza is a kid everyone can root for. When we first meet Joey Pigza, he is bouncing off the walls - literally! Joey is wired all the time, but especially in the afternoons, even though his medication is supposed to help him focus through the whole school day. Life is definitely never dull around Joey - you never know what he'll get into his head to do next: Sharpen his fingernails with a pencil sharpener? Pretend to be a tasmanian devil? Eat a whole shoofly pie and jump out of a hayloft? Swallow his house key? Joey's mom and his teachers do what they can to help Joey make good decisions, but these adults are far from perfect and they don't always know how to help. While Joey's adventures can be funny, they get more and more dangerous and soon he's landed himself in Special Ed - his last chance - what happens if he can't make it work? Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is an insightful look into the mind of a kid who's doing the best he can against the overwhelming odds of ADD and an unstable home.

Joey's adventures continue in Joey Pigza Loses Control, What Would Joey Do?, and I am Not Joey Pigza.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Whales on Stilts

by M. T. Anderson
M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales series
Katie Mulligan and Jasper Dash are both stars of their own series of children's books - Horror Hollow and Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut respectively. So it's a bit of a surprise when it's their best friend Lily Gefelty, just an average 12-year-old, who discovers the mad scientist plotting to take over the world using mind-controlled whales on mechanical stilts. The three friends will have to work together using all their skills to stop this dastardly plot. Whales on Stilts has thrilling action scenes, fascinating science-fiction gadgets, nail-biting suspense and extreme silliness! What more could you ask for in a book? Well, I'm glad you asked, because I have the answer: a sequel! In The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen Katie, Jasper, and Lily have decided that after their whale adventure, they need a vacation - no mysteries, no monsters, no mad scientists! Especially Katie - she's ready to relax and just be a regular girl. But Katie's plans are destined for ruin, because no sooner have our heroes reached the Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort than the news spreads - the Hooper Quints (star of their own mystery series) have been kidnapped! Now whether the threesome wants to or not, they'll have to investigate, because who knows which series star will be next on the kidnapper's list! M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales are indeed full of thrills, as well as chills and laughter - don't miss them!

Books in this series:
Whales on Stilts
The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen
Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware (available Spring 2009)

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Mercy Watson series

by Kate DiCamillo
Mr. and Mrs. Watson do not have children; instead, they have their beloved pig Mercy. The Watsons treat Mercy just like a child: singing her to sleep in her bed every night, taking her for rides in the car, and dressing her up for Halloween. No matter what's happening though, Mercy manages to get into trouble - usually when she's pursuing her favorite thing ever – hot, buttered toast! Chris Van Dusen adds brightly-colored illustrations that perfectly capture the characters' feelings and personalities, from Mercy's mischievousness to next-door neighbor Eugenia Lincoln's grumpiness. Delightfully silly, the five-book Mercy Watson series, at 68-72 pages per book, is just right for readers who are beyond easy readers but not yet ready for longer chapter books. If you read one, you'll want to read all of the adventures of "porcine wonder" Mercy Watson.

Books in the series:
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
Mercy Watson Fights Crime
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig

Recommended for grades 1-3
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Lost and Found

by Andrew Clements
Ever wondered what it would feel like to be an identical twin? Twelve-year-olds Jay and Ray Grayson know exactly what it feels to look and sound alike to the point where everyone, even their parents, have a hard time telling them apart. After all, it is nice to always have someone there to play with and talk to. On the other hand, they often wonder what it is like to be viewed as someone other than part of a matching set. What would it feel like to not be constantly compared with, or mistaken for, your brother? Due to a school clerical error, the boys are about to find out. As they begin sixth grade in a new town, Ray stays home sick and Jay is on his own. As his homeroom teacher takes attendance, Jay discovers that no one is aware that he has a twin brother. In fact, Ray is not on any attendance list, does not have a locker, or even a student record. Jay wants to tell his teacher about the mix-up. But he changes his mind. Here is a golden opportunity to see what it feels like to be seen as an individual - and not half of a matching pair! Jay convinces Ray that they can take turns going to school and doing homework while the other relaxes at home. After all, this is only a fun experiment to see if others will catch on. They will tell everyone about the mix-up... eventually! But what if people discover their scheme before the boys are ready to tell? How much trouble are they going to be in? Also, is it just their imagination or are the boys beginning to feel separate from each other in ways that they didn't bargain for? Clements writes an entertaining, fast-paced novel that allows the reader to wonder if being curious about living a new life is worth all of the lies and deception that must occur in the process.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Knucklehead

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories about Growing Up Scieszka
by Jon Scieszka
If you've ever read The Stinky Cheese Man or The Time Warp Trio series and wondered how someone could come up with such silly stories and adventures, now you'll know!  Jon Scieszka was the second oldest in a family with six boys.  His mother was a nurse and had plenty of bruises and broken bones to attend to, and his father was a school principal and tried to keep his boys in order.  With six boys in the house, it was sometimes easier to ask "which knucklehead put an army man in the toaster" than to ask each kid who did it.  Jon and his brothers found all kinds of adventures, from the "foxholes" in new construction down the street to the lake at their grandparents' summer house.  But they also found plenty of trouble, whether it was breaking the living room sofa or breaking a brother's collar bone, and usually managed to make a younger brother take the blame.

Even though Jon Scieszka's childhood might be very different from your own, his stories are funny and will make kids, parents, and grandparents laugh out loud!

Recommended for grades 3-8 -- and parents and grandparents!
Reviewed by Sara Murray

The School Story

by Andrew Clements
Natalie, a 12 year old is still getting over the death of her father, when she writes a story that her friend Zoe thinks is worthy of publication. The story is about a girl, whose father stands up for her even when she is caught cheating. Though her book is a school story, it is also as Zoe says "a goodbye poem from Natalie to her father." Natalie's mother Hannah is a children's book editor at a New York Publishing firm, but Natalie wants to do this on her own. Zoe and Natalie ask their English teacher to read the story. She agrees to help them pursue publication. The friendship between Natalie and Zoe, and their attempt to get the book published make this book more than just a school story, it is a story of friendship between two very different girls, and Natalie's coming to grips with the death of her father.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

Daisy Dawson is on Her Way

by Steve Voake
Daisy Dawson is a known dawdler; she is always getting distracted - especially on her way to school. One morning Daisy rescues a butterfly on her way to school and in return receives the gift of understanding animal talk. Soon Daisy is chatting happily with the animals around her, but then she notices that Boom, her hound dog friend, has gone missing. With a new dogcatcher in town, Daisy and her new animal friends know that it's up to them to save Boom! Of course with friends like Meadowsweet, the motherly horse, and Cyril, a spying squirrel who speaks in coded messages only he can understand ("THE BLUE DONKEY IS UNDER THE MATTRESS!"), rescuing Boom is sure to be an adventure. Only six chapters long and scattered through with ink and pencil illustrations by Jessica Meserve, Daisy Dawson is a great new heroine for fans of Junie B. Jones and Clementine.

Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Defying the Diva

by D. Anne Love
It's near the end of the school year at Ridgeview High School and fourteen-year-old Haley Patterson's freshman year has been a good one. Her time has been spent hanging out with her two best friends, Suzanne and Vanessa, getting good grades, and making a name for herself on the staff of her school newspaper. Serious journalism about important events in the world is what interests Haley. But when she is asked to write a light-hearted gossip column, Haley reluctantly agrees. Unfortunately, she reveals a juicy tidbit about a party that super popular Camilla Quinn throws, which lands Camilla in hot water with her parents, and Haley in big trouble with Camilla. Now, completely ostracized by everyone at school, including her best friends, Haley finds herself alone, miserable, and waiting for the school year to end. As a way to escape her painful situation, Haley agrees to spend her summer living with her aunt and working at an exclusive mountain resort. Will Haley be able to forget the problems awaiting her once the new school year begins? Will she get over the betrayal of her best friends? Will she be able to forge new friendships, and leave her past behind? Defying the Diva is for anyone who has ever been bullied by the popular crowd, and for those attempting to stand their ground against their tormentors.

Recommended for grades 6-8
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Mother, You're the Best! (but Sister, You're a Pest!)

by Diane deGroat
Second grader Gilbert is looking forward to pampering his mother on Mother's Day. After finishing a hand-made card for his mother, his classmates fill him in on all the neat presents and activities that they're planning for their mothers. While they were all good ideas, Gilbert decides he wants to do come up with his own plans. Come the big day, his designs quickly go awry as breakfast in bed turns into watching his mother eat burnt toast and spilled orange juice! To add insult to injury, his pesky baby sister Lola gets to share Mom's lap while Gilbert goes to clean up the mess he made. As a ruse to get Lola off Mom's lap, Gilbert coaxes her into walking to the store with him to buy Mom a present. His day is just getting worse when his "present" melts all the way home! After more misadventures, Gilbert gets discouraged because he feels that nothing has gone right, and more importantly, he has done nothing special for his mother. But does his mother feel this way? Fans of the Gilbert series will enjoy this warm, funny book about a child who wants to please his mother, and surprisingly ends up doing so - despite everything that goes wrong!

Recommended for grades 1-3
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Clementine

by Sara Pennypacker
This book made me laugh and laugh and snort and then laugh again. Clementine is a spunky, sweet third grader who is often misunderstood by the grown-ups in her life. Her teachers tell her she needs to pay better attention. They fail to notice that she is paying attention – just to the things that she thinks are actually interesting, like the janitor kissing the lunch lady in the parking lot or looking for ceiling snakes in the principals office.

She is also continually getting herself into problems. For example, she was only trying to help her friend Margaret when the glue got stuck in her super pretty long hair. And Clementine was really, really trying to help when she brought over the permanent marker (Flaming Sunset was the shade) to help color the missing curls back in. When that gets them in even more hot water, Clementine decides to cut her own hair as an act of solidarity, and then have Margaret help her dye it green. The grown-ups are just exasperated with Clementine. If you like to laugh, this is the book for you. You can read about Clementine’s further adventures in The Talented Clementine and Clementine’s Letter.

Recommended for grades 1-5
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Regarding the Bees

By Kate Klise
Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
The seventh graders at Geyser Creek Middle School are in a sticky situation - they're facing BEEs this year, and if they don't handle them well, the students will be sent back to the fifth grade! While their principal is away for the semester, their regular teacher, Mr. Sam N., will be running the school and Florence Waters of fountain design fame will be instructing the correspondence class through letters and mailed assignments. Florence isn't sure how she feels about the students having to deal with BEEs and will do anything she can to make sure they're suited up for the ordeal, but Mr. N. wants to make sure that the students do their best on the Basic Education Evaluations. Along with the BEEs, the Geyser Creek Middle School seventh graders are buzzing with excitement after having been invited to challenge the undefeated Springfield Middle School students at the Show-Me Spelling Bee. These seventh graders are sure in for a treat - but will it be a sweet one?

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Sara Murray